Eastbourne laundry firm closes causes workers to turn to foodbank

The sudden closure of an Eastbourne laundry firm has caused its staff to turn to the local foodbank just weeks before Christmas

White Knight Laundry, on Hammonds Drive, closed earlier this month, leaving more than 130 staff without a job.

Howard Wardle, of Eastbourne Foodbank, said, “We’ve had about thirty people since Friday coming in.

“We have given them food and we will support them if they need to come back.

“We have given them advice and the time and attention they needed. A lot of them are scared and frightened and just needed to know what to do next.

“There were lots of tears and anger at the way they had been treated by the management of the laundry. One girl said to me ‘they made us work so hard and they’ve had six weeks free labour from us - it’s not fair’.

“It made me realise how generous people in Eastbourne had been in giving food so that we can offer help to these people over the extended Christmas period.

“We are here to help - we’re open every week day.

“We have had some incredibly generous donations recently. We are running low on cereal, rice pudding and tinned meat.”

Eastbourne Foodbank can be found on Cornfield Lane and it has centres at St Elizabeth’s Church, Community Wise, Albury House, and Shinewater Shaftesbury Centre.

For more information, visit www.eastbourne.foodbank.org.uk or call 01323 409925.